The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives tenants the right to request pets, but it also gives landlords an important safeguard: the right to require pet damage insurance as a condition of granting consent. If you are going to allow a pet in your property, understanding how pet damage insurance works is essential to protecting your investment.
What Is Pet Damage Insurance?
Pet damage insurance is a policy that covers the cost of repairing or replacing items in a rental property that are damaged by a tenant's pet. This can include scratched floors, stained carpets, chewed skirting boards, damaged doors, and other physical harm to the property caused by the animal. It is specifically designed for the rental context and differs from standard pet insurance, which typically covers veterinary costs rather than property damage.
Who Pays for It?
The tenant pays. Under the RRA, you can make pet damage insurance a condition of granting consent for the pet, and the cost falls on the tenant. This is an important point — it means you are not out of pocket for insuring against a risk that the tenant has introduced. You can specify that the tenant must have a valid pet damage insurance policy in place before the pet moves in, and that the policy must remain in force for as long as the pet is at the property.
What Does It Typically Cover?
A standard pet damage insurance policy will typically cover:
- Damage to flooring, including scratches to hardwood and stains on carpets
- Damage to walls, doors, and skirting boards from chewing or scratching
- Damage to fixtures and fittings
- Damage to gardens and outdoor areas, including lawns and fencing
- Deep cleaning costs where standard cleaning is insufficient to remove pet odours or hair
Coverage levels vary between providers, so specify a minimum level of cover that reflects the value of your property and its furnishings.
Pet Damage Insurance vs the Tenancy Deposit
Pet damage insurance does not replace the tenancy deposit. They serve different purposes. The deposit covers all types of damage, unpaid rent, and other financial losses at the end of the tenancy. Pet damage insurance specifically covers damage caused by the pet during the tenancy. You have two layers of protection: insurance for pet-specific damage, and the deposit for everything else. You should not rely on the deposit alone — pet damage can easily exceed the deposit cap.
Normal Wear and Tear vs Pet Damage
This is a critical distinction. Normal wear and tear is not covered by pet damage insurance, just as it is not deductible from the deposit. A carpet that is slightly worn after three years of use has suffered normal wear and tear. A carpet that is stained with urine or shredded by claws has suffered pet damage. The difference matters because you can only claim on the insurance — or deduct from the deposit — for damage that goes beyond what would be expected from normal use of the property. Keep a detailed inventory with photographs at the start and end of the tenancy so you can demonstrate the difference.
Practical Tips for Landlords
Here is how to handle pet damage insurance effectively:
- Include the insurance requirement in your written consent when you approve a pet request, specifying the tenant must obtain a policy before the animal moves in
- Set a minimum coverage level proportionate to the property, considering the value of flooring, furnishings, and outdoor space
- Ask the tenant to provide proof the policy is in place and remains current
- Do not specify a particular insurer — let the tenant choose their own provider as long as the policy meets your requirements
- Update your inventory to record the property's condition when the pet is introduced, not just at the tenancy start
What If the Tenant Does Not Get Insurance?
If you have made pet damage insurance a condition of consent and the tenant fails to take out a policy, they are in breach of the conditions attached to your consent. This could give you grounds to withdraw consent for the pet, and potentially to seek possession under Ground 12 of the Housing Act 1988 (breach of a tenancy obligation) if the breach is serious enough. Keep written records of all correspondence about the insurance requirement.
Take Action
Make sure your pet consent conditions are properly documented. Generate your RRA-compliant document pack to get a tenancy agreement that covers pet consent and insurance requirements. For a quick check on your deposit compliance, use our Deposit Cap Calculator, or read 5 Things Every Landlord Must Do Before May 2026 for a broader compliance checklist.